Box segregator and stacker



Filed June 13, 1932 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 28, 1936. H PAXTQN BOX SEGREGATOR AND STACKER Filed June 13, 1952 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 1936- H. PAXTON BOX SEGREGATOR AND STACKER Filed June 13, 1932 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 28, 1936. H. PAXTON BOX SEGREGATOR AND STACKER 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 15, 1932 April 28, 1936. H. PAXTON BOX SEGREGATOR AND STACKER Fi led June 13, .1932 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 /A I /V7'02 19%15 1 ,41 0

7 Sheets-Sheet 6 April 28, 1936. H. PAXTON BOX SEGREGATOR AND STACKER Filed June 13, 1952 April 28, 1936. H. PAXTON BOX SEGREGATOR AND STACKER Filed June 15, 1932 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Patented Apr. 28, 1936 BOX SEGREGATOR STACKEE Hale Paxton, Redlands,

CaliL, assignor to Paxton Credit Corporation, Sanger, 011111., a corporation of California Application June 13, 1932, Serial No. 616,935

11 Claims.

My invention relates to handling packed boxes of fruit and similar packaged goods which it is desirablev to segregate and form into upright stacks.

This invention is an improvement on the box segregating and packing device disclosed in my Patent No. 1,933,147, granted October 31, 1933. Many of the. objects of the present invention are the same as those of the device shown in said patent.

There are a number of other objects, however, sought to be attained by the present invention, a few of these objects being as follows:

To provide such a device in which the stacking mechanisms automatically operate by gravity; to provide such a device which may be controlled electrically from a remote station; to provide such a device which can be placed on top of a packing house floor but which will permit the stacks formed by the device to be readily grabbed by a grab truck and transferred onto the floor of the packing house; and to provide such a device which will be relatively simple in construction, inexpensive to build, and economical to operate.

The manner of accomplishing the foregoing objects, as well as further objects and advantages, will be made manifest in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevational-view of a foremost stacker unit of my invention.

Fig. 3 is a diagram of the wiring in an electrical control apparatus embodied in my invention.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view 'of the operating mechanism of one of the stacker units of my invention. I

Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are similar longitudinal sectional views taken on the line --5 of Fig. 1 and illustrating the operation of the foremost stacker unit of my invention. 1

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 6-8 of Fig. 1 and illustrates the formation of a stack of boxes on the stack collector of one of the stackerunits of my invention.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of the stack collector tripping mechanism of one of the stacker units of my invention.

Figs. 10 and 11 are views similar to Fig. 8 and illustrate the second step in the formation of a stack of boxes and the automatic swinging of this into "upright position.

Referring specifically to the drawings, and particularly to Fig. 1, the preferred embodiment of my invention illustrated herein comprises a'box segregating and stacking device 25 which includes a plurality of identical stacker units 26 (separately identified as units A, B, and C), a 5 skeleton power conveyor 21, and an electrical control apparatus 28.

The stacker units 26 Each stacker unit 26 includes a conveyor sec- 10 tion 29, a stack collector 30, and a stack storage track 3i.

A conveyor section 29 Each conveyor section 29, as shown particularly in Figs. 1, 2, 5, and 8, includes a frame 35 having legs 36 and 31, these being connected transversely by upper frame members 38 and iongitudinally by upper frame members 39 and 46 and lower frame members 4|. Extending upwardly from the member 40, as shown in Fig. 4, are frame members 42 and 43, these having right angle bends so that upper portions 44 of these members extend horizontally across and are secured to the frame members 39. The members 42 and 43 are connected by longitudinal bars 45 and 46. Welded upon inner edges of the portions 44 of the members 42 and 43 so as to extend upwardly therefrom are plates 46 and 49 having rollers 50 formed thereon, these rollers having a downwardly sloped alignment so as to form a laterally diverting gravity conveyor 52. The plates 48 have vertical slots 53, for a reason which will become apparent hereinafter.

Removably secured to the lower plates of the horizontal portion 44 of the frame member 43 is a heavy solenoid base 56 from which an arm 51 extends downwardly. Pivotally secured to the lower end of the arm 57 is a lever 60, the opposite end of which is pivotally secured to the lower end of a box stop arm 6i having a notch 62 formed therein and extending upwardly through a bracket 63 which is mounted upon the upper surface of the frame member 38, this member hav ing a notch in the upper flange thereof through which the arm 6| is adapted to slide, as shown in Fig. 5. Extending forwardly from the upper end of the arm BI is an adjustable stop 65. Pivotally connected to the arm 6| just below this stop is a link 66.

Pivotally mounted on the longitudinal bar 45 and slidable on the bar 46 between stops 16 and l l, rigidly secured thereon, is a latch bar 12 having a lug 13 formed upward thereon. The latch 12 is connected by a spring 15 to the longitudinal 55 bar 46 so as to continually urge this bar against the lug 10, as shown in Fig. 4. The link 66 extends through one of the slots 53, as shown in Rigidly secured on the link 66 is 8.

lug 13 so that the tension of the spring 15 is transmitted to the link 66 tending to pull the arm 6I into contact with the bracket 63, as shown in Fig. 5.

Provided upon the ends of the link 66 are nuts 85 which form an adjustable collar and are adapted to engage the lug 13 when the arm 6| is moved away from the bracket 63, the bar 12 thus being slid over the bar 46 until it engages the stop 11 Secured to the lower face of the solenoid base 56 is a solenoid 92, the armature 93 of which is connected by a suitable link to a mid-point in the lever 60.

Disposed between the transverse frame members 38 and 38' is a tilting frame 96 which includes transverse members 91 which are disposed just within the frame members 38 and 38' and are pivotally secured thereto by bolts 98. Extending upwardly from the members 91 are short posts I00, upon the upper ends of which are fixed longitudinal rails IOI and I02, these rails having rollers I03 mounted thereon so as to be freely rotatable. Fixed on the longitudinal member IOI of the frame 96 so as to extend downwardly therefrom is a leg I05 having a shoulder I06 which is adapted to be disposed above the movable end of the bars 12 when this is positioned as shown in Fig. 4 so as to support the tilting frame 96 with the uppermost points in the rollers I03 in a horizontal plane. Whenever the bar 12 is moved out from beneath the shoulder I06 the frame 96 swings downwardly about the axis of the bolts 98'so that the longitudinal member IOI of this frame rests upon the upper portion 44 of the bars 42 and 43. This movement brings the rollers I03 below the plane passing through the upper extremities of the rollers 50.

The stack collector 30 The stack collector 30 of each unit 26 includes a frame I I 0, this frame having posts I II connected by upper angle members I I 2 to the upper member 39 of the conveyor section frame 35 and lower members I I3 connecting these legs to the legs 36 and 31. Connecting the posts III are upper and lower members H4 and H5, opposite ends of the latter member extending beyond each of the posts I I I.

Extending between and having its opposite ends rigidly secured to the members H2 is a frame member II1, this having a pair of plates 8' rigidly provided thereon and extending downwardly therefrom, as shown in Fig. 9. Pivotally mounted between the plates H8 is a latch I I9, this latch being yieldably held in upper position, as shown in this figure, by a spring I20. Extending rearwardly from the latch H9 is a finger I2I. Also pivotally mounted between the plates I I8 beneath the latch I I9 is a lever I22 which is yieldably held in the position in which it is shown in Fig. 9 by a contractile spring I23. Provided in the inner end of the lever I22 is an adjustable screw pin I26, while the other end of this lever has a box contacting arm I21 fixed thereon.

Pivotally mounted on a suitable bracket on the cross-member H4 is an auxiliary box engaging lever'I30, the lower end of this lever being loosely connected to one end of a rod I3I. This rod extends through a suitable aperture in the arm the lever I80 being normally held in the position in which it is shown in Fig. 8 by pressure of the spring I33 which is coiled about the rod I3I between the arm I21 and a collar I34 provided on this rod.

Supported between the frame members I I2 is a shaft I40 on which is pivotally mounted a tiltable frame I4I. This frame consists of a pair of track members I42 which are provided with conveyor rollers I43 and which are connected at their inner ends by a frame member I44 and at their rear ends are provided with short uprights I46, between the upper ends of which is mounted a shaft I41 on which is mounted a pair of wheels I48. frame MI is positioned as shown in Fig. 8, the cross-member I44 is latched beneath the latch II9, as shown in Fig. 9, thus' locking the frame MI in this position.

Pivotally provided on the posts I II are counterweight arms I50 having counterweights I5I provided thereon, the lower ends of these arms being connected by links I52 to the inner end of the frame I4 I, as shown in Fig. 8.

Connecting the frame members H3 is a shaft I55 upon which is pivotally mounted a dashpot cylinder I56, the piston rod I51 of which is pivotally connected to a shaft I 58 which extends between and is rigidly mounted upon the side members I42 of the frame MI. The cylinder I56 is provided with three port fittings I60, I6 I, and I62, adjacent pairs of which are connected by suitable pipes having a pressure valve I63 disposed between the fittings I and I6I and a pressure valve I64 disposed between the fittings I6I and I62.

Stack storage track 31 The stack storage track of each unit 26 includes a pair of rails I10, the upper ends of which are supported on opposite ends of the member II5 of the frame IIO, these rails sloping downwardly and away from the stacker unit 26 so that the opposite ends of these rails rest upon the floor supporting the device. Secured to the lower ends of the rails I10 is a grab truck ramp I1I having a stack stop I12 provided thereon, this ramp being of sufficient size to permit a grab truck (not shown) to be rolled upwardly from the floor onto this ramp so that it can engage and cart away the stack of boxes resting on the storage track 3I against the stop I12. The rails I10 are provided with rollers I13 on opposite sides of a vertical flange of these rails so that the rollers on these opposite sides overlap each other, as clearly shown in Figs. 8, 10, and 11.

The skeleton power conveyor 27 This conveyor includes an initial feed section I and a number of connecter sections I8I by which stacker units 26 are connected together.

The initial section I80 includes a. pair of plates I83 which is connected to the near end of stacker unit A and upon which is journaled a shaft I84 having sprockets I86 and I81 and a bevel gear I88. Mounted on the frame 35 of the unit A beneath the shaft I84 is a power unit I89 having a sprocket I90 that is connected by a suitable chain to the sprocket I81 on the shaft I84, so that this shaft is rotated continuously while the power unit I89 is energized.

Rotatably mounted on the shaft I84 is a conveyor unit frame I92, supported on extensible legs I93, and having a shaft I journaled in its lower end, this shaft having sprockets I96 which are connected by chains I91 to the sprockets I86, this shaft also having rollers I98 fixed When the aoeavss thereon between the sprockets I86. Suitable guides I98 are mounted upon the frame I82, these guides being adjustable inwardly and outwardly relative to the space over the chains I81.

Provided on the plate I88 adjacent the gear I88 is a bearing 2I8, the purpose of which will be made manifest hereinafter.

Each of the skeleton conveyor sections I8I includes a pair of plates 2I5 which are shaped as shown in Fig. 2, opposite edges of these plates being bolted to adjacent legs 36 and 31 of adjacent stacker units so as to connect these units together. Provided on the plates 2I5 along their upper edges are bosses 2| 6 in which are slidably mounted box guides 2" which are shaped as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4. Journaled in the plates 2I5 is a shaft 2I8 having rollers 2|9 fixed thereon. Fixed on an extending end of the shaft 2I8 is a miter gear 228 and on the plate 2I5 adjacent this gear a bearing 22I is provided.

Extending through all the bearings 2I8 and 22I is a shaft 222'having miter gears 228 provided thereon which mesh with the miter gears I88 and 228, so that when the shaft I84 is rotated by the drive unit I89 all of the shafts 2I8 of the skeleton conveyor sections I8I are rotated in unison therewith.

While the box guides 2" are usually spaced The electric control apparatus 28 This apparatus is illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 3 and includes a generator 258 as a source of electric energy, opposite terminals of which are connected through wires and 252 to the motor switch 253 for starting and stopping the motor I89.

For purposes of identification, the solenoids 92 of the stacker units A, B, and C are identified respectively as A, B, and C. These solenoids are adapted to be selectively energized by the generator 258 through a control circuit 255. This circuit includes a wire 256 which connects one terminal of the generator with corresponding terminals of all of the solenoids 92. The other terminal of the generator 258 is connected to one terminal of a switch 268 which is normally disengaged, but which is mounted on the conveyor section I88 in a position to be contacted by a box carried upwardly on the chains I91 so that just beforereaching the stacker section A this switch 268 is closed. The other terminal of this switch is connected to a selector switch 262 which is mounted upon a lidder. with which the apparatus 25 is adapted to be'used, within easy reach of the operator of the lidder. The switch 262 has a swinging arm 263 which is adapted to make contact with any one of -three contact points I, 2, and 3. These contact points are connected by wires 265, 266, and 261, respectively, with the solenoids A, B, and C.-

Operation The apparatus 25, as before mentioned, is especially adapted to be used in connection with a lidder in which packed boxes of fruit or other farm products are lidded, these boxes containing products of various grades which it is desired to segregate and stack separately. In the present instance, of course, it is assumed that only three segregations need be made of the lidded boxes delivered to the apparatus 25.

To start the apparatus the switch 258 is closed so as to energize the motor I89 and cause the continuous movement of the chains I91 and the power rollers 2I8 of the skeleton conveyor 21. A box is now fed onto the power rollers I98 which deliver the box onto the chains I91 so that it is carried upwardly on these chains. As this box is so delivered by the operator of the lidder he sets the arm 263 of the switch 262 to contact one of the contacts of this switch which is connected to the solenoids 92 of the stacker unit to which it is desired to deliver this box. After thus setting the switch 262, the operator may give his attention to the lidding of another box, while the box delivered to the conveyor section I88 travels up and engages the switch 268, thus completing the circuit of the solenoid with which the selector switch 262 is connected, and energizing this solenoid so that the latter lifts the lever 68 of this stacker unit, as shown in Fig.6. Assuming that this was solenoid A, the energizing of the solenoid will thus lift the stop 65 into the position in which it is shown in Fig. 6, so that the box discharged'from the conveyor section I88 onto the stacker unit A comes into engagement with this stop, as shown in Fig. 7, and pulls on the link 66 to swing the latch 12 out from beneaththe leg I 85 on the tiltable conveyor section 96 so that this section tilts downward, as shown in Fig. '7, and allows the box to rest on the conveyor rollers 58 which, as before pointed out, are inclined laterally so that this box is discharged by gravity from the conveyor 52 formed by these rollers onto the stack collector 38 of that unit.

F g. 8 illustrates a situation in the operation of the apparatus 25 where the stack collector 38 of one of the units 26 has accumulated two boxes a and b. and a third box 0 is just being discharged onto this stack collector by gravity, as heretofore described. It will be noted in this figure that the end of the rod I3I extending through the box contacting arm I21 is not over the arm I2I of the latch H9, so that when the box contacting arm I21 is depressed the rod I3I will not contact the arm I2I. It is thus seen that single boxes will roll over the box contacting arm I21 and the lever I38 without actuating the catch H9. The third box to be delivered to the stack collector 38, however, comes to rest on top of the lever I38 and extends the other end of the rod I3I over the finger I2l of the latch I I9. Thus, it is that when the fourth box is delivered onto the stack collector I) so that it rides over the box contacting finger I21 to depress this. the finger I2I of the latch H9 is also depressed so as to throw the latch I I9 out of engagement with the member I44 of the stock collecter 38, thus releasing this stack collector, as shown in Fig. 10, and permitting it to rotate about the shaft I48, as shown in Fig. 11.

The control valve I63 is set at a relatively low pressure so that during the initial portion of the tilting of the stack collector 38 there is relatively little resistance by the cylinder I56 to impede this movement. As the stack collector 38 approaches vertical position, however, the plunger of the cylinder I56 passes the port fitting I6I and the escape of fluid from in front of the piston is then controlled by the control valve I64 which is set at a relatively higher pressure than the valve I63. As a result the final movement of the stack collector 38 into vertical position is greatly retarded and the stack of boxes is delivered from the collector 38 to the conveyor 3| in a manner to facilitate the downward movement of the stack by gravity on the conveyor 3! until it gently comes into contact with the stop "2. As soon as the stack has rolled oil! of the rollers I48 of the stack collector 30 the latter is returned by the counterweights I5I to its original position. as shown in Fig. 8.

Pivotally mounted on the stack collector frame members H2 is a pair of arms 295 having counterweights 296 and stop plates 300 on opposite ends thereof. The arms 295 are normally held in the depressed position shown in Fig. 4 by pins 302 on the cross-bar I which contact pins 30! on the stop plates 300 as shown. When the stack collector 30 swings upwardly, as shown in Fig. 11, the arms 295 swing into contact with stop pins 303 provided on the frame members H2, and the stop plates 300 are raised to prevent the delivery of any box from the conveyor section 35 of this unit to the stack collector thereof until this stack collector returns to its proper position for receiving a box.

It is thus seen that by the time another box is ready to be delivered to the apparatus 25, the first box has passed the switch 260 and set the particular unit 26 to receive this box, which unit was designated upon the switch 262. Thus, when the next box is ready to be delivered to the apparatus 25. the operator merely sets the switch 262 to indicate the proper stacker unit to which the second box is desired to be delivered and feeds this box onto the advance conveyor section I80. A second box is then delivered to its proper unit in the same manner as hereinabove described for the first box. One of the distinct advantages of the control system 21 is that a timed interval elapses after the setting of the switch 262 and before the lifting of the stops 65, in the stacker unit designated, takes place. Thus, the preceding box has ample time to reach its particular stacker unit and be deflected therefrom prior to the setting of the stops of the stacker unit designated for the next following box.

While I have shown and described only a single embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that various changes might be made in this without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In combination: a conveyor having a section wh ch is tiltable laterally; latch means for supporting said section in alignment with the balance of said conveyor; a stop in the path of a box as it arrives on said section, said stop disengaging said latch means, thus permitting said section'to tilt laterally; means to receive said box from said section and direct it laterally; and means engaged by said box as it moves laterally to reposition said conveyor section.

2. In combination: a substantially horizontal runway for receiving a series of boxes one at a time at one end thereof; a stop at the opposite end of said runway; means for pivotally mounting said runway to permit the weight of said boxes to tilt said runway and deliver said boxes in the form of a stack; a latch for preventing the tilting of said runway during the accumulation of said row of boxes; and means in the path of said boxes travelling onto said runway and at the entrance end of said runway for releasing said runway from said latch as the last box moves into place on said runway, said releasing means being unresponsive to previous boxes travelling onto said runway to release said latch.

3. A combination as in claim 2 in which a conveyor is provided with a depressible section op'-' posite the receiving end of said runway; a track beneath said depressible section and inclined towards said runway: means for releasing said section when a box is disposed thereon to permit said section to drop and deposit said box on said track, said box gravitating therefrom onto said runway; and means adapted to be engaged by a box travelling on said runway and actuated by said box as it thus travels oil of said conveyor for restoring said section to its upward position.

4. In combination: an inclined runway for receiving a series of-boxes one at a time at one end thereof; a stop at the opposite end of said runway; means for pivotally mounting said runway to permit the weight of said boxes to tilt said runway and deliver said boxes in the form of a stack; a latch for preventing the tilting of said runway during the accumulation of said row of boxes; means in the path of said boxes travelling onto said runway and at the entrance end of said runway for releasing said runway from said latch as the last box moves into place on said runway, said releasing means being unresponsive for releasing said latch to previous boxes travelling onto said runway; and means on said runway causing each of said boxes to gravitate along said runway until it comes in contact with said stop or with the box last previously delivered onto said runway.

5. A combination as in claim 4 in which a conveyor is provided with a depressible section opposite the receiving end of said runway; a track beneath said depressible section and inclined towards said runway; means for releasing said section when a box is disposed thereon to permit said section to drop and deposit said box on said track, said box gravitating therefrom onto said runway; and means adapted to be engaged by a box travelling on said runway and actuated by said box as it thus travels off of said conveyor for restoring said section to its upward position, said track and the adjacent end portion of said runway having a greater inclination from horizontal than the balance of said runway to hasten the delivery of said box from said track onto said runway.

6. A combination as in claim 2 in which a frame is provided for supporting said runway, the last mentioned means being provided on said frame.

'I. A combination as in claim 2 in which a frame is provided for supporting said runway, the last mentioned means being provided on said frame, said means including a spaced pair of levers which are spaced apart a greater distance than the width of a single box.

8. In combination: a box collector having a substantially horizontal runway for receiving a horizontal series of boxes discharged onto said runway from one end thereof; a roller stop on said collector at the opposite end of said runway, said stop being positioned to engage the near side of v the first box of said series; a supporting frame on which said collector is pivotally mounted to permit said collector to be rocked by the weight of said series of boxes to swing said series of boxes into a position tilted away from said collector while still in contact with said collector; means for checking the rotation of said collector, as said series approaches said position, to bring said series of boxes gradually to a stop in said position; and a gravity roller conveyor inclined slightly downwardly away from said collector, said conveyor being disposed beneath said collector at such a level that when said series of boxes is rocked into said tilted position, the weight of said series rests directly on and is supported by said conveyor, whereupon said series of boxes, in the form of a stack, rolls by gravity down said conveyor and away from and over said stop roller.

9. A combination as in claim 8 having means for increasing the force of retardation applied to said collector just before the rotation of the latter has brought said series of boxes into the tilted position set forth in said claim.

10. A combination as in claim 8 in which said gravity roller conveyor is provided with rollers overlapping each other to substantially increase the smoothness of transfer of said series of boxes from said collector to said conveyor.

11. A combination as in claim 8 in which said stop roller engages a side face of said initial box above the center of gravity of said box when the latter is fed along said runway into contact with said stop roller.

HALE PAXTON. 

